Time-recording system



Jan 6, 1931. F. E. GARBUTT TIME RECORDING SYSTEM Filed Jan: 18, l928 2 Sheets-Sheet l tnunnnunnunuuunu ha DUDE-H) DEIDEJJJDDUEIEID [nven to r' Fran/iiibar Jttornezy Jan 6, 1931.

F. E. GARBUTT 1,787,940

TIME RECORDING SYSTEM Filed Jan. 18, 1928 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 In 2/ entor' Fran/r5. Garbuh.

Patented Jan. 6, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE r ram E. GARBUTT, O1! HOLLYWOOD, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGI'OB 1'0 ranauom mm 7 CORPORATION, A CORPORATION 01 NEW YORK 'rnm-nncoanme mm- Application filed'lanuary 18,1888. sermn'o. $41,505.

This invention has to do with a system for the recording of time, or more particularly for the making of a permanent record of the time intervals during which certain I events takes place, or certain conditions are existent. And while its field of application is much broader, it will probably best be illustrated as embodied in a form adapted to be installed in a factory or laboratory for. the purpose of obtaining a permanent record of the time intervalsduring which certainprocesses are in operation, certain men at work, etc.

The invention 'provides,-in its simplest form, an illuminant arranged to be lighted during the, time intervals in which an event which it is recording is taking place, and a film travelingat a constant rate and exposed to light rays from the illuminant. The light rays. thus' rint a continuous image upon the moving fi 111 during the time in which the event is taking place, and when the film is developed, a broken line light imagle event was in operation.

The invention will be better understood from the following detailed description of a typical embodiment of the system and of apparatus for carrying it into effect. This Fig. 4 is a view, somewhat enlarged, show-,'

ing the film moving mechanism;

Fig. 5 is a section taken on l'ne 5-5 of Fig. 4;

- Fig. 6 is a section taken on line 6-6 of Fig. 4.;

Fig. 17

is a section taken on line 7-7 of 4;

represents the time intervals during w h the arrangement is only to be considered as il Fig. 8-shows a portion of a film containinga typical time record;- 7 ig. 9 shows, partly in section, the time clock nnit;

Fig. 10 is a section taken online 1010 of Fig. 9;

' Fig. 11 shows diagrammatically a means of breaking the electrical circuit containing theprinting light of the time clock unit.

'wit-h particular reference to Fig. 1, in which is shown a simplified form of the optical and electrical system, illuminants I, I

and I are shown, each being contained in an electrical circuit with a battery'B and with a pair of contacts or other means of closing the circuit. For illustration, I show in circuit with illuminant Iicontacts 10 and 11 placed on a door 12 and its-frame 13 respecso that the contacts will be closed and tiveljyi, the uminant I lighted during the time that the door is closed. Thus, if a certain operation can onl be iformed while the door is closed, the ummant will be lighted during all of that time. 'In this case, the door is shown 0 n and the illuminant is dark. Similarly, i uminant I may be connected to is here shown lighted, indicating that the machine is in operation. Illuminant I, may likewise be connected to any other arrangement of contacts or circuit closing means,

' and is here shown as being lighted, indicat ing that its circuit is cl (1.

A lens L is disposed to receive lightrays from the illuminants I, 1,, etc., and an aperture plate containing apertures a, 0 etc. 'allows only a thin pencil of li ht from each illuminant to reach the lens. ese several pencils of light are focused by the lens to points upon a traveling film F and thus form continuous line images N, N etc. upon the film during the periods that the illuminants are lighted. The broken image N indicates that illuminant I was lighted a short time back, but is new dark. Fig. 8 shows a t pical developed negative record in whicha larger number of events and conditions were being recorded.

In Figs. 2 to 7 is shown a typical physical embodiment suitable for carrying the system into effect. With particular reference to Figs. 2 and 3, numeral indicates a cabinet in which are supported the elements of the system. In cabinet 20, horizontally spaced from and parallel to its front face 21 is a vertical partition 22 extending from the top 23 of cabinet 20 to a horizontal partition 24 which is vertically spaced from the cabinet bottom 25, as shown. Depending from the horizontal partition 24 and located between the front face 21 and the vertical partition. 22 is a lens supporting means 26 containing lens L. Supported in spaced relation upon the upper portion of the vertical partition 22, and disposed equi-distantly from lens L are the illuminants I, I etc. .Between the illuminants are light shielding partitions 27, and in contact therewithat their lower edges is an arcuately disposed aperture plate 28 having small apertures a, a;,- etc., which correspond to the illuminants I, I ,'etc. and are located in direct line between these illuminants and the lens L. In contact with the light shielding partitions 27 and conforming to the curvature of the aperture plate 28 and the illuminants is a top shield 29. A door 30 is hin ed at its lower edge to the front 21 of the ca inet and swings downwardly to expose the illuminants. Within the door 30 is preferably a red glass panel 31 through which can be seen the illuminants, but which will shield out all actinic light rays. It will be thus seen that the illuminants are entirely enclosed as to actinic rays except for their apertures .a, (1;, etc.

For the purpose of shielding the s ace between the apertures and lens L as e ectively as possible, slanting partitions 32 are preferably placed between the front face 21 and vertical partition 22, and extending from the edges of the lens holder 26 at the bottom to beyond the ends of the aperture plate 28 at the top. Front doors 33 swing open to expose the interior of the light ray enclosing compartment.

Pencils of light transmitted through the apertures a, 11 etc. from the illuminants are brought to spaced point foci in a plane below the lens L;- and in this plane is arranged a traveling film adapted to take line images of the several points of light from the lighted illuminants. The film F is supported in this plane upon sprocket on shaft 41.

A magazine 42 is supported upon a wall 44 i which extends between horizontal partition 24 and bottom 25, and at right angles to the front 21 of the cabinet 20. The film is wound upon a spool 43 carried upon spindle 45 of magazines 42. The film passes from spool 43 over the sprocket 40 to the take up spool 46 carried in the magazine 42 below spool 43 and upon a flexibly driven shaft 47 which extendsthrough wall 44.

Parallel to the front 21 of the cabinet and abutting against the forward edge of wall ,44 is a supporting plate 48 which has wings 49 carrying bearings 50 in which is supported the shaft 41. Supporting plate 48 has an aperture 51 through which passes film F on its path from the magazine to the sprocket 40.

On shaft 41 and adjacent bearing 50 is a pulley 52 which drives a pulley 53 upon shaft 47 by means of a spring or other flexible belt 54 to drive the film take-up spool 45.

The shaft 41 is suitably driven so that the film will move, preferably, at a rate of, for instance, six inches per hour. The power unit for the film drive is a motor M which drives shaft 61 by means of pulley 62 and belt 63. A hearing plate 64 supports shaft 61. A reduction gear indicated at 65 drives shaft 66 from shaft 61 at a greatly reduced rate of rotation, this making possible the desired slow and constant rate of movement of the film. Shaft 66 drives shaft 41 by means of the device shown most clearly in Fig. 7. The ratchet wheel 67 drives disk 68 by means of pawl 69. It will be evident that the shaft 41 and film moving sprocket 40 can thus be rotated in only one direction and the film can only be moved forwardly. For if the motor M were to be reversed, the ratchet wheel 67 could not-drive the pawl 68 and no motion of the film would result; and if it were attempted to move the sprocket backwards, the pawl 68 would engage the ratchet teeth, but because of the resistance of the. reduction gear, it could not move the ratchet wheel 67.

On shaft 41 and on the other side of the sprocket 40 may conveniently be placed a film measuring machine 70. Shaft 41 extends through the side of the cabinet 20 to a ring 71, and is broken by a clutch 72. Shaft 41 is normally held so that clutch'72 is out of engagement by spring means at 73. It is thus possible, by pushing in on ring 71 until clutch 2 is in'engagement, to rotate manually shaft 41 to move the film forward. This means is provided so that unexposed film may be moved into position for operation after the doors are closed and light excluded from the cabinet; and also so that the exposed portion of the film which contains a record may be wound up in the magazine before the doors are opened so that exterior light cannot obliterate the time record contained upon the film.

Preferably, a light hood 74 is provided over the film F and is hinged to the plate 48 as shown. Aperture 75 is provided in the top of the hood through which the light rays pass to reach the film. This hood is provided to shield the film from any stray light from above, but may be omitted if desired.

Below the film as it passes from the sprocket wheel 40 to the magazine may conveniently be located a time clock unit 80. In Figs. 9

and is shown a possible embodiment of such a unit. Extending from wall 44 is the hollow stud 81 and mounted thereupon is an enclosed cylindric light-directing wheel 82, about the peripheral surface 83 ofwhich are stencilled figures representing successive time units of a clock, these beingsimply taken,

for illustrative purposes, at intervals of one hour; Eirtehding radially from the hub 84 of wheel 82 to the inner surface of its peripheral shell 83 are light shielding partitions 85, these being so disposedas to intersect the surface 83 between its stencilled time figures. In the hollow within the stud 81 is asocket 86 carrying an electric light bulb 87. A light aperture 88 is provided in stud 81 directly over the light bulb 87, and light apertures 89 are provided in the hub 84 of wheel 82 in line between the stencilled 'figures'upon the peripheral surface 83 and the light bulb 87, apertures 89 being disposed to register successivelv with the apei'ture 88 in the stud as wheel 82 is rotated. Gear teeth 90 are provided about the peripheral surface 83 and the wheel is driven by gear 91 which is in turn driven by clock 92. Gear 91 may be connected to the minute hand-shaft 93 of the clock, and the gear ratio will then be made one to twelve, one revolution of gear 91 which takes a period of one hour. rotating wheel 82 onetwelfth of a revolution, or from one stencilled figure to the next. Upon shaft 93 mav be mounted an electric contact arm 94 which rotates with its shaft .and makes with contact 93 once each hour. closing an electric circuit to light the bulb 87. The contact arm is positioned so that it will make contact and illuminate light bulb-87 just as aperture 89 comes into full register with aperture 88, light rays thus being transmitted through the stencilled figures and printing the hour upon the film. Preferably. means are provided for breaking the circuit ii'nmediatelv after it is made so thatthe light, bulb will not remain lighted and blur the figures upon the travel ing film. This may done in a variety of ways, one of which is illustrated in Fig. 11.

The clock operated contact arm 94 and contact 9,5;.,prev i ously referred to in connection with Fig. 9. are here shown in a series circuit with a batterv Band 9. slow acting relay R. In parallel ,with the relay R is a circuit which contains light 87 and a pair of contacts 96. contacts are broken when the relay armature 97, which is pivoted at 98, is pulled down by the relay, as is apparent from the diagram. The contacts 96 are normally held closed'bv spring S when relay R is de-energized. The operation f is then as follows: When contacts 94 and 95 are closed. a circuit is closed through the light 87 and the closed contacts 96, thus causing the light to be illuminated. A circuit is also closed through the relay B, pulling armature 97 thereto and breaking contacts 96 and the circuit containing the light. Relay R being one which. is relatively slow acting, the light 87 will light up first, and then the relay will act to break the circuit, just time enough being allowed to print the figures upon the film before the light is cut oil.

Since the time clock prints the time units upon the film at a distance along the film from the point at which the records of observed operations are printed, the time clock must be retarded by a certain amount so that the time units will be printed at the proper points to correspond with the operation time records. I

Other methods of designating the time upon the film may be utilized. For instance, one of the illuminants I may be included in a c1rcu1t containing contacts which are closed at definite intervals by a time clock. One of the contacts might be carried by the hour hand of the clock. and close the circuit for a short timeeach hour as it makes with a corre sponding contact. Every twelve hours thecircuit may be closed for a somewhat longer time. The film will then contain a short line every hour, and a longer line every twelve hours, and the exact time corresponding to any point of the film may be easily determined.

To prevent fogging of the film, the cabinet is tightly constructed and all joints are made light proof, and the entire interior is painted black to eliminate reflection of any stray light from the illuminants.

To arrangethe system for operation, the illuminants are severally connected to electrical circuits containing means tomaintain these circuits closed during the time intervals in which the events which they are to record are taking place. A raw film is then arranged over the sprocket wheel, and all light excluded from the cabinet by tightly closing the doors. By means of the ring at the side of the cabinet, the film is then moved forward a sufficient amount so that unexposed film is in position upon the sprocket. The motor is then started, and the film slowly travels by the lens, taking continuous or broken line images depending upon the intervals of illumination of the several illuminants.

Various modifications of the system will be at once apparent, such, for instance, as sub stituting converging, separating shields between the illuminants for the apertures and lens, and with this arrangement substantialdarkened during the periods in which the conditions or events under jobservation are present or taking place.

I have setout in some detail an embodiment of the invention in a typical application,

but it is to be understood that this specific application is not limited to the various details therein shown, nor is the invention limited to this specific application, which has merely been selected as suitably illustrative of the invention in one of its phases. Y Means for practicing the system in its broadest form having been disclosed, the invention is to be limited only as defined in the following claim.

I claim:

In a device of the character described, the combination of an enclosed compartment, a lens mounted therein, an arcuate aperture plate mounted in said compartment and havm a th% fie d of view of said lens and equally spaced therefrom, illuminants mounted beyond said light apertures at the side of the aperture plate away from said lens, light shielding means between said illuminants, and means for moving a raw film strip on the opposite side of said lens in such a manner that aperture images are cast thereupon in spaced relation by said lens.

In witness that I claim the" foregoing I have hereunto subscribed my name this 5th day of January, 1928.

FRANK E. GARBUTT.

plurality of spaced light apertures in 

